What Is a Lucky 15 Bet?
A Lucky 15 bet is a type of system bet. In this instance, the wager consists of 15 bets across four selections, broken down below:
- Four Singles: A bet on each of the four selections to win.
- Six Doubles: A bet on every possible combination of two selections to win.
- Four Trebles: A bet on every possible combination of three selections to win.
- One Fourfold Accumulator: A single bet on all four selections to win.
A Lucky 15 bet needs only one selection to be correct to get a return. With the different bet combinations, every winner means that the return jumps, thus paying out more. The more winning selections you land, the more of the 15 lines pay out.
The Lucky bet system is available in three variations – 15, 31 and 63. As you might have deduced, the names represent the number of bets in each system. The Lucky 15, 31 and 63 covers four, five and six events respectively. As the number of wagers increases, so do the combinations. For example, a Lucky 63 contains a sixfold accumulator, six five-folds, 15 fourfolds, 20 trebles 15 doubles and six single bets. So, if you are looking to wager on different events, you can pick the most suitable Lucky bet.
How Does a Lucky 15 Bet Work?
A Lucky 15 is almost similar to a Yankee except that the former includes singles. If you have four separate events that you wish to stake money on, then a Lucky 15 bet would be one way to get multiple combinations. It is in detail down below:
- Four Singles – A + B + C + D
- Six Doubles – A+B, A+C, A+D, B+C, B+D, C+D
- Four Trebles – A+B+C, A+B+D, A+C+D, B+C+D
- One Fourfold – A+B+C+D
You can bet Lucky 15 as win-only or each-way. The above example is a win-only wager. If you select an each-way Lucky 15 bet, then it would contain twice as many picks. Because you are betting on more than one wager, the stakes will be higher compared to wagering on individual bets.
For instance, if the unit stake is £1, then the cost of the whole bet would be £15 (£1×15 wagers). One thing to watch out for when you choose to bet Lucky 15 is the initial outlay. This type of wager can be expensive due to the number of bets involved. For this reason, you should consider your budget carefully before using the system bet. A Lucky 15 bet is suitable for minimum odds of 1.50 (1/2).
Lucky 15 Bet in Horse Racing
Lucky 15 wagers are wildly popular in horse racing betting because it provides an opportunity to stake money on multiple events. For instance, you might have four horses at the Cheltenham Festival that you fancy – all at different races – Charisma, Thunderbolt, Pickles and Azure. You can opt to have 15 bets in these picks through win-only wagers or 30 each-way bets, and this will have you covered across the whole festival.
How to Work Out a Lucky 15 – an Example
Take the example above: a £2 unit stake, so £30 in total, on Charisma at 6/4 (2.50), Thunderbolt at 3/10 (1.30), Pickles at 9/4 (3.25) and Azure at 7/5 (2.40). Each of the 15 lines is worked out on its own. Multiply the decimal odds of the selections in that line together, then multiply by the £2 unit stake. Add up every line that wins to get the total return.
With all four winning, the £230.65 return is a profit of £200.65 on the £30 outlay. If Azure loses, every line that includes Azure returns nothing. The seven lines left are the three singles (£14.10), the three doubles without Azure (£31.20) and the one treble without Azure (£21.13), which add up to £66.43. Against the £30 outlay that is a profit of £36.43. With only one winner, you get that single back and nothing else, so you would be well short of the £30 staked.
Working through every line by hand is slow, so use our Lucky 15 calculator. It does the same working for any odds, any unit stake and any mix of winners and losers.
When a Lucky 15 Pays Out
A Lucky 15 bet requires one selection to win to return a payout. However, the more correct selections you have, the more of the 15 lines return something, so each pick deserves the same care as a single bet.
Pick each selection on its own merits rather than adding a fourth leg just to fill the slip, and keep the total outlay within what you had set aside for the bet.
Our Conclusion to Lucky 15 bet
A Lucky 15 bet suits you if you have four events to wager on and believe that most of the picks will come in. It is not a safe way to bet. One or two winning selections are often not enough to cover the stake, and the full outlay is lost if all four lose.
Ensure that you know the potential value of a Lucky 15 before betting. Leverage online resources like bet calculators so that you know what to expect.
FAQs to Lucky 15 Betting
Is a Lucky 15 Bet a good bet?
It can be, in the right circumstances. As with other system bets, a Lucky 15 gives you a return even if some of your predictions fail, because the singles pay on their own. It costs 15 times the unit stake, though, and one or two winners are often not enough to cover that outlay. If there are four selections you rate and you understand that the 15 lines add up to a bigger stake, a Lucky 15 is worth considering. It suits markets with short prices because the doubles, trebles and fourfold multiply the odds.
Is it worth doing a Lucky 15 each way?
If you want more of your selections to count for something, consider going each way. With each-way wagers, you are staking money on selections to win or place. It means that you are covering two outcomes for each pick and therefore, the total bets rise to 30, thus increasing your stakes, as well. With each-way Lucky 15 bets, you can get a payout even if some of your selections take second or third positions. Going each way can work favourably for you when playing with long odds.
How many winners do you need on a Lucky 15?
When you bet a Lucky 15, you can get a payout if one of your picks succeeds. Thanks to the availability of singles in a Lucky 15 bet, you don’t need all the selections to pan out. If you were to bet a traditional accumulator, then the loss of one selection would mean losing the whole stake. Note that the returns depend on the number of wagers won.
What is the difference between a Lucky 15 and a Yankee?
Both the Lucky 15 and Yankee bets have the same structure because they cover four selections. The number of bets is the biggest distinction. A Lucky 15 bet system has 15 bets while a Yankee has 11. The extra wagers are due to the presence of singles. So, you can consider a Lucky 15 bet as a Yankee with single wagers. In both bets, you get six doubles, four trebles and a fourfold accumulator. Thanks to the singles in a Lucky 15, it only takes one winning selection to generate a return. A Yankee does not pass as a full cover bet because it does not have single bets to cover the other combinations.
Written by Leon Marshall Chief Editor at bestbettingsites.co.uk